Heavy-duty trucks account for nearly a third of harmful air pollutants.

We need bold action.

CA will once again lead the way –phasing out the use of diesel-powered trucks.

Trucks shouldn’t give our kids asthma.

Make wildfires worse.

Or melt glaciers. https://t.co/xzTPpH1Cuw

— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 20, 2023

That’s fucking stupid.

From the article in the Tweet:

The Biden administration will approve new California rules to cut tailpipe pollution and phase out sales of diesel-burning trucks, according to three people briefed on the plans, a move that could jump-start the nation’s transition to electric-powered trucks and help communities harmed by diesel pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency intends to grant California “waivers” to enforce environmental rules that are significantly tougher than federal requirements and that state regulators have already approved, said these individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement was not yet public.

The rules could also have national significance. Six other states, which together with California represent about 20 percent of the nation’s heavy-duty vehicle sales, have already committed to follow California’s tougher standards. But because of the way the Clean Air Act works, California and those other states cannot put their plans into action until the EPA grants the state a waiver.

California’s new policies include stricter pollution limits for heavy-duty vehicles — such as delivery vans, garbage trucks and 18-wheelers — that require them to cut emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. These rules would apply to vehicles beginning with the 2024 model year, three years ahead of the administration’s latest regulations, which start with the model year 2027.

Another rule sets new sales requirements for truck makers. Beginning next year, manufacturers will have to sell increasing percentages of zero-emission trucks, buses and vans annually, eventually reaching a target of selling all-electric or hydrogen fuel-cell trucks by 2045. State officials estimate the rule would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 307 million metric tons by 2050.

What is left out is that the technology to produce electric trucks with the range and capacity of diesel trucks doesn’t exist yet and that California doesn’t have the electricity infrastructure to support ot if it did.

New electric-powered trucks cannot be built at the replacement rate required by the law.

California will essentially hobble the supply chain of goof coming into California ports and of good grown or manufacturered in the state.

Crashing the supply chain on the western half of the country is a small price to pay to accomplish nothing.